So anyone else see ummm.... whichever one of those Dateline/48 Hours/Primetime shows airs on ABC on Thursdays at 10 ET? The segment on what to do in a school shooting (which, did they really plan to air that this week? or did they film it and just sit around waiting for one to happen so they'd look "topical"?) was filmed at Shawnee High School. Perhaps because the point was not "look at the dumb hicks" but "this could happen to anyone," the producers actually featured a fairly diverse (by Oklahoma standards, anyway) group of well-spoken parents and kids. As you know, I'm very sensitive about these things, and often the only Oklahoma news that gets to the national media is the extremely embarrassing things. And sports. Or last year's Orange Bowl, which was both. (Hey, look I can joke about it now!)

Before you ask, yes I was watching TV when I was supposed to be writing. Yes, I am massively behind on my word count. (Although it is more than what I have posted on the banner.) It's not an excuse, but I have been extremely lethargic this week. I don't know if it's middle-of-the-novel malaise (if Chapter 5 can be called the middle), or the weather turning cold, or having a minor subway disaster every night this week extend my commute home an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or if I'm really coming down with something. Everyone else in my office has been sick in the last few weeks. I'm washing my hands so much they're starting to get chapped, but I don't know if that's enough.

Today I am all alone in the office, and there isn't much to do. Even Lala and her boss are off on their big trip to London and Paris. I want a job that pays for me to go somewhere -- except I don't really, because I probably wouldn't get waiting-for-email days like today if it was an important enough job for travel. Or that could be the lethargy talking. I think I'm going to find some lunch and then hunt down that woman who promised to tell me yesterday about ... it's really not that interesting.